Canonical Wnt Signaling as a Specific Marker of Normal and Tumorigenic Mammary Stem Cells.

摘要

We have determined that the Wnt/B-catenin signaling pathway is active within a small subset of cells within the gland. This small subset is entirely contained within the previously identified population that has the ability to repopulate a cleared mammary fat pad. Thus, activation of canonical WNT signaling may be very specific marker for mammary stem cells and be a target for transformation that results in the formation of aggressive mammary tumors.